Free Movie of the Day: 'Charade'

Long weekend with the family? Look no further! Nothing brings families together like the movies, and 'Charade' is a sophisticated mystery-thriller-romance-comedy from 1963 that easily rivals some of its more famous contemporaries like 'North by Northwest' and 'How to Steal a Million.' From its fantastic cast to its high body count, this little gem has something for everyone.
Long weekend with the family? Look no further! Nothing brings families together like the movies, and 'Charade' is a sophisticated mystery-thriller-romance-comedy from 1963 that easily rivals some of its more famous contemporaries like 'North by Northwest' and 'How to Steal a Million.' From its fantastic cast to its high body count, this little gem has something for everyone.

Audrey Hepburn plays Regina ('Reggie"), a young widow who's trying to understand just exactly what her late husband had himself involved in when strange men begin showing up at his funeral and interfering with her life in Paris. One of these strange men is Peter Joshua (Cary Grant, his signature charisma in fine form), whose simultaneous interest in Reggie's dead husband and attraction to her is undeniable. The legendary onscreen chemistry between Grant and Hepburn is palpable, resulting in some extremely funny exchanges, as many jokes are swapped onscreen about their age difference. Even though Grant was 19 years Hepburn's senior, this movie makes you wish the two stars had worked together more often.

As the plot moves along, Reggie discovers that she cannot trust anyone. A briefing by the CIA (her contact there is played to perfection by a very young Walter Matthau) reveals that her husband has left to her the $250,000 he was supposed to deliver to the French Resistance, the only trouble being that she has no idea where the money is.

One critic called this film "The best Hitchcock film that Hitchcock never made," and with its effortless charm and rigorous plot it's easy to see why. Directed by Stanley Donen ('Singin' in the Rain') and scored by Hollywood legend Henry Mancini, 'Charade' delivers on every level.